After Mukul Roy's exit, Mamata Banerjee is fiercely guarding Trinamool flock

It just wasn't the kind of conduct she could ignore. When backward classes welfare minister Churamoni Mahato praised his mentor Mukul Roy on September 26, despite knowing that the latter was on his way out of the ruling Trinamool Congress, chief minister Mamata Banerjee upbraided him publicly. At a packed party meeting in Jhargram on October 10, she mocked him: "Aren't you a farmer? It seems you have stopped going to the field. How will you be in touch with people without going to the field?" Bristling at Churamoni, she was clearly uninterested in his fumbling explanations. That very day, he was also replaced as the district TMC chief.

The message was strong and clear: partymen supporting Roy would be dealt with firmly. Aware of Mukul's clout amid grassroots workers, Mamata is doing everything possible to ensure that his exit does not turn into an exodus from the TMC. The action against Churamoni was only a mild demonstration of what even a hint of rebellion could bring. "We have been told not to keep any links with Mukul da. We've been warned against meeting him or taking his calls," says a party leader from West Midnapore.

Apprehensions of a split, particularly by workers and leaders loyal to Roy, has prompted Mamata to convene a meeting of all elected representatives of the TMC on October 25. Reports available with the state government indicate the possibility of some attrition in ranks in districts like North and South Dinajpur, North 24 Parganas, West Midnapore and Bankura. Ever since Roy made public his decision to quit the TMC, crowds of party workers and supporters have been thronging his office and home, in both Kolkata and Kanchrapara. But prominent TMC faces have refrained from reaching out to Roy. "It is quite obvious that the ruling party is scared," said political analyst Biswanath Chakrabarty. TMC's leadership, he says, would be wary of Roy revealing party secrets.

Roy is known to have considerable influence in areas like West Midnapore, where he is credited with having struck deals with Maoist sympathisers between 2008 and 2010 to help TMC penetrate the 'liberated zone'. After TMC came to power, Roy played a crucial role in diluting Maoist influence in West Midnapore, where most party leaders are still loyal to him.

Roy plans to travel to West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia to renew his connect with TMC supporters. Mamata too is losing no time travelling to the districts. Her Jhargram visit was part of that exercise. A party legislator from North 24 Parganas says Mamata's trips to the districts will be followed up by her nephew Abhishek Banerjee.

In some cases, Mamata is not being shy about winning over potential rebels by assigning them bigger roles in the organisation. For example, Salt Lake mayor Sabyasachi Dutta, known for his proximity to Roy, was made TMC observer for the northeastern states in his place on July 3, 2017.

Mukul Roy, meanwhile, is joining the BJP. He will be given the responsibility of strengthening the organisation prior to the panchayat a polls, scheduled early next year. "He's coming as the chairman of the panchayat election committee, given the reservations of the RSS and a majority of state leaders," says a state BJP functionary. The panchayat is going to be a litmus test for Roy. If he manages to wrest a few panchayats, he will be considered for bigger responsibilities.